Improved chain-holder



`chain is to be held.

UNITED STATES PATENT OEErcE.

SAML. GLADDING, OF PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND.

IMPROVED CHAIN-HOLDER.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No.'48,675, dated July 11, 1865.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SAMUEL GLADDING, of Providence,in the county of Providence, in the State of Rhode Island, and Providence Plantations, have invented a new and Improved Chain-Holder for Holding a Chain to which an Anchor is Attached; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, making part of this specification.

Figure l represents a horizontal view of the invention, showing the chain held in position by the improved chain-holder. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal elevation of thesame. Fig. 3 is a sectional view, representing the fingers and a part of the catch. Fig. 4 is the catch for fastening the fingers ot' the claw when holding the chain. Fig. 5 represents the wedge h.

a et are the fingers of the claw when closed; a a', the lingers of the claw or holder when the fingers are spread; b, the catch, Fig. 4; c c, the mortises in the back of the fingers a a. c o show the mortises in the fingers when the fingers are spread b', the portion of the catch when the chain is free; d, the handle of the claw or holder; c, the links in the chain to which theanchor is attached; f, the joints of the fingers a a; It, the wedge under the catch; IL', the wedge removed from the catch; '5, the projections, pins, or tenons of the catch b to enter the mortises c c; k, the ring through which a rope passing over the bits keeps the holder in its place; o, the pivot on which the catch b turns.

The improvement made by me is thus described: I take the instrument known to seamen as the devils claw, and construct its fingers with joints or hingesf at the point where the fingers join. Upon the back of the claw or knuckles I attach the catch b, moving 'on a pivot, o, provided at t' with projections,

pins, or tenons fitted to fall into the mortises c o. These lingers are two movable fingers. When the holder is executing its office-z'. e., holding the chain-the pins 'i on the catch b are inserted in the mortises o c. A wedge, h, is provided to hold the catch b in place when the When the chain is held by my improved holder the various parts are in the position shown in Figs. l and 2, except the dotted lines, and in Fig. 3. When the chain is set free the lingers and catcheare in the position shown by the dotted lines in Figs. l and 2.

lhe operation of my invention is as follows: When it is desired to hold the chain in position the lingers a a of the holder are brought together and the pins in the catch fall into the mortises c o, and the Wedge h is placed under the end b" of the catch, as seenin Fig. 2. The fingers of the holder are then placed over a link in the chain, and the other end of the holder being secured at 7c by the rope which passes over the bits, the chain, and thereby the anchor, are held firmly in position. When it is desired to set the chain free, to letthe anchor go., or to pay out more chain, the wedge h is removed and the end b of the catch is struck with a handspike or pressed down by other means, and, the pins z' being thus lifted out of the mortises o c, the strain of the chain on the sides of the fingers a a causes them to spread apart into the position shown at a' a', Fig. l, and thus the chainis allowed to run free. When sufficient chain has run out, or when in drawing the chain in it is desired to fasten or hold the chain, the fingers are drawn together, the pins are forced into the mortises o o, and the wedge h placed under the end b of the catch, and then the lingers ofthe holder are placed upon the chain, as seen in Figs. 1 and 2.

The ofiice of the wedge is to prevent the pins t" being lifted from the mortises o c by any accidental blows falling or Weight resting on the end b of the catch.

The advantages of my invention are, rst, that by the present mode of securing the anchor, in order to enable the rangechain to be overhauled when the anchor is raised and the chain lies forward of the windlass, it is necessary to secure the anchor at the cat-head, which requires the labor o f many men, whereas by the use of this improvement theanchor can be securely held in position at the haWse-pipe, or partially raised, as may be convenient, and then the range-chain can be overhauled at pleasure; second, that when it is desired to let the anchor go or to pay out more chain it is only necessary to remove the wedge h and strike the end b of thc catch, thus raising the at f, mortised at c c, with the catch I, provided pins from the mortises, and the chain is iuwith the pins z', in connection with the Wedge stantly Set free. h, constructed' and arranged substantially in What I claim as new, and Vdesire to secure the, manner described, for the purposes set by Letters Patent, isforth.

l. The movable fingers et a, in combination Providence, May 25, 1865. with the catch b andthe mortises c c, substan- SAMUEL GLADDING. tially as described, and for the purposes set Vitnesscs: forth. WM. H. GREENE,

2. The combination ofthe fingers a ,jointed l JOSEPH S. PITMAN. 

